ORA blue mandarins

[SwimsWithFish]

My lfs caries them and says that they WILL eat prepared and I don't need to start a pod population. He said if it sees pods it may go back. Should I get one for my 29 reef? Has anyone had any luck with these?

 

[ccCapt]

They are raised eating pellets, but did you actually see them eating pellets at the LFS? I have heard of people who bought the ORA mandarin and they would not eat them.

 

[SwimsWithFish]

He didn't have them in but when the time comes I'll ask for a demo.

 

[BallinCrew10]

Personally, I wouldn't do it. IMO its asking for trouble. "If it sees pods it might go back". At some point you will have pods, and if it stops eating pellets, you cannot support it in a biocube.

 

[carey]

My blue ORA also supposedly ate pellets but when I got her home she wanted no part of that or frozen food. It took several weeks for her to get on frozen completely. Luckily I had enough pods in the tank in the meanwhile for her to eat. When I got her I had them try pellets, with no luck. He put in some mysis and out of the two I was looking at to buy the female went for some so I was on board.

If I had to do it again, I'm not 100% sure I'd do it. Theres a strong part of me that's glad I did but the gamble I took was kinda big. I also had the option of putting her in my 125g that is teeming with pods, so she would have gone in there if she hadn't started eating regular food.

 

[Kio707]

I bought an ORA one, too. It ate pods the 1st week or so. Now it eats frozen food, but still see it picking at the rocks, so I guess it's eating both.

 

[joy13]

I got a target manderine last weekend I am not for sure if it is eating or not but I have a couple of rocks in my sump I am going to put up in the tank with it just so it will have pods. It was an ORA and suppose to eat frozen, flake or pellets. When I got it I planned on putting it in my 55 gallon but when I was seeing how big my anemones were opening I was afraid it would end up as a very expensive anemone meal.

 

[Kio707]

I got a target manderine last weekend I am not for sure if it is eating or not but I have a couple of rocks in my sump I am going to put up in the tank with it just so it will have pods. It was an ORA and suppose to eat frozen, flake or pellets. When I got it I planned on putting it in my 55 gallon but when I was seeing how big my anemones were opening I was afraid it would end up as a very expensive anemone meal.

My RBTA is almost 10" across. Never touched mine. I have seen it swim under, over, and sit next to. Nem isn't going to eat a healthy fish, unless it's a condy nem... Smh... Learned that the hard way.

 

[joy13]

Well I have a bubble tip, a rock and 3 maxi minis in the tank. The maxis close up fast if they feel unusual water movement above them and I am afraid it might get caught. I had the tank cycled anyway that is a year old and going to be an SPS tank, now I am waiting for it to start eating regular before I add another fish.

 

[Kio707]

Well I have a bubble tip, a rock and 3 maxi minis in the tank. The maxis close up fast if they feel unusual water movement above them and I am afraid it might get caught. I had the tank cycled anyway that is a year old and going to be an SPS tank, now I am waiting for it to start eating regular before I add another fish.

He should be fine. They are some beautiful fish!